Is all wheel drive necessary or a gimmick for most cars?

turbodewd · 05-04-2012, 04:26 PM

Ignoring sports cars (WRX, Nissan GTR), is AWD really necessary? Take the Subaru Liberty - its not going to be driven to its limits to need 4WD by the types of people who drive it. Is it really going to make any difference to the driving experience puttering around suburbia or a CBD?

My dad isnt into cars at all, he would have no idea NOR could he tell if his car was AWD. But he, or anyone, could tell what fuel economy they were getting roughly, i.e $ per full tank and how far they'd get on it.

I ask coz if you look at how the Subaru Liberty 3.6R sedan stacks up to the Falcon...the Falcon truly eats it. So what if the Liberty has AWD?! The falcon pips it on fuel economy and power and torque. And the EcoLPI falcon even more so! And the Subie only runs a 5-spd auto...

Mr Hardware · 05-04-2012, 04:28 PM

Simple answer is that it is not necessary. But neither are 8 cylinders or wings or metallic paint.

turbodewd · 05-04-2012, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

Simple answer is that it is not necessary. But neither are 8 cylinders or wings or metallic paint.

Yes, but my old man could undoubtedly feel the extra grunt of a V8 and could see other 2 things if they suited his tastes...

Nikked · 05-04-2012, 04:34 PM

AWD can give people a better sense of saftey, especially in adverse contitions.

kocho · 05-04-2012, 04:36 PM

I love my AWD Liberty. It's a nice change from RWD (which is still great) and I don't want to be the owner of a FWD car because they aren't good to drive in my opinion.

I haven't driven the latest Liberty, so I can't comment on that specifically, but I have driven the 3.0L Gen IV. Fantastic car to drive too.

"So what if the Liberty has AWD" - Boy, you haven't seen what AWD can really do have you? It's an incredible system.

In terms of how a 3.6 Lib stack up with the Falcon, I'd say they're fairly different cars to drive. But then you say is it going to make a difference around suburbia, well, you could ask yourself why you have such a big engine for the city (I know you live in Canberra and you've got 80 and 100 zones all over the joint).

@ Nikked a better sense of saftey? Are you saying that it isn't safer or...?

And, for what it's worth, not many AWD systems are the same as Subaru's.

dylancox · 05-04-2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbodewd

Yes, but my old man could undoubtedly feel the extra grunt of a V8 and could see other 2 things if they suited his tastes...

Is 4 wheels even necessary? You can feel plenty of grunt and get plenty of fuel economy with just 2 wheels and 1 wheel drive. You can even have a nice engine note.

.

Nikked · 05-04-2012, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kocho

I

@ Nikked a better sense of saftey? Are you saying that it isn't safer or...?

Well, better grip on wet roads etc...

turbodewd · 05-04-2012, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kocho

In terms of how a 3.6 Lib stack up with the Falcon, I'd say they're fairly different cars to drive. But then you say is it going to make a difference around suburbia, well, you could ask yourself why you have such a big engine for the city (I know you live in Canberra and you've got 80 and 100 zones all over the joint).

Canberrans drive out of Canberra every other weekend so I get plenty of highway kays. More than the average Melbournite, Sydneysider or Brisbanianerite.

The Yeti · 05-04-2012, 04:57 PM

i thought the whole AWD thing was a crock of crap, but Ive driven a few different ones and I really like the feel of how the power goes down in an AWD, its really noticable in somthing like a territory where you can drive a RWD TX and hop in to an AWD TX so its a good apples for apples comparison

forget the off road part that bits pretty much a crock of crap

MITCHAY · 05-04-2012, 05:00 PM

Well it's very unlikely the wheels are going to spin in an AWD Liberty. You don't have to try hard or at all in a Commodore or Falcon.

Mum says her SV6 has caught her out a few times and she has the traction control on and drives responsibly.

svo supporter · 05-04-2012, 05:13 PM

AWD's can get you into trouble quicker than a RWD. It is very easy to overcorrect an AWD, because all 4 wheels are pulling the car, rather than 2.

Are they necessary? No idea. Fuel economy....No idea, as I have never owned one, nor had interest in owning one.

AU Mont · 05-04-2012, 05:14 PM

well my wife's 90kw Impreza towed my AU VCT out of a boggy marsh (my backyard after the QLD floods)

i was certain that her car would become bogged before i could even tie the rope onto the back, but it pulled the AU out with ease, and didnt spin a wheel doing it lol

i certainly rate the AWD systems. Arent the subaru's FWD full time then 90/10 bias if the front wheel slips?

**cs123** · 05-04-2012, 05:16 PM

My wife has a AWD Impreza. Total waste of time. It doesn't have the power to break traction with 2wd, let alone AWD.

I've spoken to people who talk about how great their AWD Subies are. One was telling the story of how quickly it pulled up in the rain when he had to emergency stop.......

Chopped · 05-04-2012, 05:21 PM

I had a AWD liberty and it was great in the wet. Maybe a little understeery when pushed though

(It also liked to chew the tyres)

Whitey-AMG · 05-04-2012, 05:27 PM

We have a 2wd Suzuki Kizashi...... I have also test driven the AWD Kizashi when it was released just to check out the hype.....

AWD is slower , thirstier and felt heavier on the road.....
Actually felt less nimble because of the extra weight.

Can't really say it handled any better either....and I pushed it pretty hard.

I'm guessing there may be an advantage in grip in icy conditions but apart from that....???

Matty4 · 05-04-2012, 05:40 PM

I watched a bloke recently struggle with a new RWD diesel Territory to pull his ski boat up a gravel ramp. My AWD just drove straight up, my boat was a good 2-300kg heavier too. For me, it is necessary.
My old Suby twin turbo B4 was awesome in the wet, a bit like John Daly, just grip it and rip it. No wheelspin. Good fun.

MAGPIE · 05-04-2012, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AU Mont

Arent the subaru's FWD full time then 90/10 bias if the front wheel slips?

Generally (there are variances) auto's are 90/10 all the time unless slip is detected or 1st or 2nd is selected in manual mode.

And to the original poster, no AWD is not a gimmick, there are many situations where it is an advantage over FWD/RWD.

Having owned 3 Subaru's I cant ever see myself not having at least one ~~AWD vehicle~~ Subaru in the garage.

Subaru has easily the best AWD system available from the brands I have tried.

**Raptor** · 05-04-2012, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

AWD's can get you into trouble quicker than a RWD. It is very easy to overcorrect an AWD, because all 4 wheels are pulling the car, rather than 2.

Are they necessary? No idea. Fuel economy....No idea, as I have never owned one, nor had interest in owning one.

I think it's safe to summarise as you have no idea, as you have never owned one, so how about keeping your uninformed opinions to yourself.

"...get you into trouble quicker than a RWD."

I don't think so.

MAGPIE · 05-04-2012, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cs123

I've spoken to people who talk about how great their AWD Subies are. One was telling the story of how quickly it pulled up in the rain when he had to emergency stop.......

So it had good brakes as well as a great AWD system

**DJM83** · 05-04-2012, 05:57 PM

Average Day to day driving AWD is pointless IMO. They are all very similar for daily duties.

MAGPIE · 05-04-2012, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJM83

Average Day to day driving AWD is pointless IMO. They are all very similar for daily duties.

Depends what your daily driving entails surely

In the past my average day to day driving could include ice, sleet, snow, rain, fords (not the cars) etc

**cs123** · 05-04-2012, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAGPIE

So it had good brakes as well as a great AWD system

No, he seemed to think that the AWD made it stop better.

MAGPIE · 05-04-2012, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cs123

No, he seemed to think that the AWD made it stop better.

No kidding

**cs123** · 05-04-2012, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAGPIE

No kidding

Great marketing ;)

Don't get me wrong. AWD it great in some cars. For the wife's Impreza it's a waste.

I had a MPS6, with AWD. Brilliant machine.

**DJM83** · 05-04-2012, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAGPIE

Depends what your daily driving entails surely

In the past my average day to day driving could include ice, sleet, snow, rain, fords (not the cars) etc

Hence why i highlighted average. I guess its a generalisation im never faced with that so it wouldnt matter which wheels drove on my car.

XD 351 Ute · 05-04-2012, 06:25 PM

AWD is excellent on the Great Ocean Road.....

Ed

Spammy · 05-04-2012, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

AWD's can get you into trouble quicker than a RWD. It is very easy to overcorrect an AWD, because all 4 wheels are pulling the car, rather than 2.

.

Complete nonsense

MITCHAY · 05-04-2012, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

AWD's can get you into trouble quicker than a RWD. It is very easy to overcorrect an AWD, because all 4 wheels are pulling the car, rather than 2.

Are they necessary? No idea. Fuel economy....No idea, as I have never owned one, nor had interest in owning one.

I've found with my car when it loses the rear that it comes back pretty easily.

You don't have to give it much if barely any opposite lock and well suffice to say if you over corrected you'd be way worse off in a RWD.

Scott · 05-04-2012, 07:17 PM

Are seatbelts necessary? I haven't been saved by a seatbelt in more than 10 years... yet I have this innate knowledge that they're good to have when the unexpected happens.

It's a plain fact that AWD has better traction for the average driver on an average drive in an average car. Which is 90% of all of everything that happens on the road.

Is AWD necessary? No. But it's definitely got its place.

TMC · 05-04-2012, 07:21 PM

Well I'm really surprised with the grip of my SY AWD Territory. It sticks to the road like glue. I can be turning hard right across traffic and give it nearly full throttle and it just grips and goes. If I tried that in my old EL Falcon I'd leave jet black lines on the road and here in WA risk getting my car impounded if the cops caught me.

Is AWD a waste in the city? No not at all at least for the Territory. It's glued to the road.

In the soft stuff it's much harder to bog too.